LET'S DO SOME CHAI, KAAFEE AND SIASAT

Written by: Salma Chaudhry - Posted on: November 13, 2013 | Comments | 中国 (Chinese)

Cafés and restaurants all around the MM Alam Road draw in customers from various areas of Lahore but a novel and innovative place has become particularly phenomenal these days. You go there for the name but fall in love with the place, ambience, décor, staff and what-not.

First impression of the recently opened café Chai, Kaafee aur Siasat (Tea, Coffee and Politics) is: what a wonderful place!

You sit back and grab a cup of their signature Doodh Patti (strong milk tea) served with a special home-made khatai (a traditional biscuit), and catch up with the spirit of Lahore and Pakistan. The ambience is so intellectually invigorating that just about everything in the café reminds you of something, from music legends of the country to the magnificent Mughal Architecture and the great sufis and poets of this land.

Behind the pass you see the hotel owners who are quite passionate about their cuisine, alongside their team making delicate and fine food ranging from Desi (subcontinental) to Western. The kitchen is behind a glass wall and you can see the chefs preparing your food;for the owners, “Hygiene is [their] top priority.”

An elaborate green wall decorated with portraits, paintings, quotations and pictures gives a different flavour, together with colorful lilac, red and mustard upholstered chairs and sofas all around. Another appealing feature of this café is the energy saving light bulbs which offer an earth friendly substitute for the traditional light bulbs. In addition, fluorescent lights are suspended throughout and considerate waiters explain the menu with a cheerful smile.

There is no dearth of cafes in the city; bigger chains do offer similar cups of coffee but Chai, Kaafee aur Siasat with their specifically designed Reader’s Corner provides a smaller, more inviting venue for avid readers to catch up on reading, get together with friends or even strike up a discussion with a complete stranger on issues ranging from politics to culture.

For individuals with a common love for cigars, a separate cigar lounge has been set-up where they relax in a comfortable environment with only subtle lighting provided by fluorescent lamps. The décor seems just perfect to create a friendly atmosphere for visitors needing an excuse to have a smoke.

It's a bit uncanny, but this coffee house witnesses a regular surge of celebrities especially actors and journalists, coming and leaving. Probably because it's meant for discussing Siasat with a cup of Chai and even eminent people crave a CKS special piña colada cake at times. Sarmad Khoosat, Nauman Ejaz, Mehr Bukhari, Sania Saeed and Taimoor Rahman were just some of the famous names seen enjoying the homely feeling here at CKS at various times. The café has also started a Speaker Series in which people share ideas and experiences, discuss issues facing the society, and listen to motivational talks by their favourite celebs.

No matter what mood you are in, you will definitely fall in love with Chai, Kaafee aur Siasat. Whether you are looking for a quiet corner to read with a cup of coffee, planning to indulge in political discussions while enjoying meals, looking for a bit of intellect and history or having a desi breakfast with friends on a Sunday morning, CKS is the place to be.

As the new year begins, let us also start anew. I’m delighted to extend, on behalf of the Embassy of the People’s Republic of China in the Islamic Republic of Pakistan and in my own name, new year’s greeting and sincere wishes to YOULIN magazine’s staff and readers.

Only in hard times can courage and perseverance be manifested. Only with courage can we live to the fullest. 2020 was an extraordinary year. Confronted by the COVID-19 pandemic, China and Pakistan supported each other and took on the challenge in solidarity. The ironclad China-Pakistan friendship grew stronger as time went by. The China Pakistan Economic Corridor projects advanced steadily in difficult times, become a standard-bearer project of the Belt and Road Initiative in balancing pandemic prevention and project achievement. The handling capacity of the Gwadar Port has continued to rise and Afghanistan transit trade through the port has officially been launched. The Karakoram Highway Phase II upgrade project is fully open to traffic. The Lahore Orange Line project has been put into operation. The construction of Matiari-Lahore HVDC project was fully completed. A batch of green and clean energy projects, such as the Kohala and Azad Pattan hydropower plants have been substantially promoted. Development agreement for the Rashakai SEZ has been signed. The China-Pakistan Community of Shared Future has become closer and closer.

Reviewing the past and looking to the future, we are confident to write a brilliant new chapter. The year 2021 is the 100th birthday of the Communist Party of China (CPC) and the 70th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Pakistan. The 100-year journey of CPC surges forward with great momentum and China-Pakistan relationship has flourished in the past 70 years. Standing at a new historic point, China is willing to work together with Pakistan to further implement the consensus reached by the leaders of the two countries, connect the CPEC cooperation with the vision of the “Naya Pakistan”, promote the long-term development of the China-Pakistan All-weather Strategic Cooperative Partnership with love, dedication and commitment. Mohammad Ali Jinnah, the founding father of Pakistan said, “We are going through fire. The sunshine has yet to come.” Yes, Pakistan’s best days are ahead, China will stand with Pakistan firmly all the way.

YOULIN magazine is dedicated to promoting cultural exchanges between China and Pakistan and is a window for Pakistani friends to learn about China, especially the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region. It is hoped that with the joint efforts of China and Pakistan, YOULIN can listen more to the voices of readers in China and Pakistan, better play its role as a bridge to promote more effectively people-to-people bond.

Last but not least, I would like to wish all the staff and readers of YOULIN a warm and prosper year in 2021.

Nong Rong Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of
The People’s Republic of China to the Islamic Republic of Pakistan
January 2021